The Athletic has live coverage of Liverpool vs Bournemouth in the first match of the 2025-26 Premier League season
Bournemouth are close to an agreement to sign Liverpool winger Ben Doak.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that several top-flight clubs were monitoring Doak’s situation, including Leeds United, but a move to the south-coast team is now being negotiated.
On Thursday, Bournemouth reached a club-to-club agreement with Brentford for the sale of forward Dango Ouattara in a deal worth £37million.
Doak joined Liverpool from Celtic as a 16-year-old in March 2022, having already appeared twice for the Glasgow club in the Scottish Premiership.
In November 2022, Doak made his debut for Liverpool when he came on as a late substitute in the win against Derby County in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Anfield.
Five days later, he marked his 17th birthday by signing his first professional contract with the club.
Doak made his league debut for Liverpool the following month in a win at Aston Villa, becoming the youngest Scottish player to appear in the English Premier League.
He signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool in October 2023. In December 2023, he was longlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award. He missed most of the 2023–24 season after he underwent knee surgery in December.
Doak spent last season on loan at Championship club Middlesbrough, registering three goals and seven assists in 24 appearances.
Doak would be Bournemouth’s fourth signing of the summer following goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, alongside defenders Adrien Truffert and Bafode Diakite.
Liverpool have seen significant first-team squad changes this summer with a host of departures including Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher and Jarell Quansah.
Additional reporting from James Horncastle and Colin Millar
(Photo: Paul Harding/Getty Images)
Aug 15, 2025
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle